--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To say that everything in the bible is to…" description: "\"To say that everything in the bible is to be believed , simply because it is found in that volume, is equally absurd and pernicious... To discard a por..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/william-lloyd-garrison-11679_absurd_to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-t_384456.jpg" --- # To say that everything in the bible is to be believed… ![“To say that everything in the bible is to be believed , simply because it is found in that volume, is equally absurd and pernicious... To discard a portion of scripture is not necessarily to reject the truth, but may be the highest evidence that one can give of his love of truth.” quote by William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/william-lloyd-garrison-11679_absurd_to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-t_384456.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/william-lloyd-garrison-11679_absurd_to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-t_384456.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/william-lloyd-garrison-11679_absurd_to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-t_384456.jpg) > “To say that everything in the bible is to be believed , simply because it is found in that volume, is equally absurd and pernicious... To discard a portion of scripture is not necessarily to reject the truth, but may be the highest evidence that one can give of his love of truth.” [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that believing the Bible solely because it is a book is flawed; rejecting parts of it can demonstrate a deeper commitment to truth. **In simple terms:** Faith should be examined, not accepted blindly. Key Takeaway Seek truth beyond the text. Themes faith interpretation truth religion Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - theological debates - personal belief systems - educational curricula - interfaith dialogues Key Concepts critical thinking scriptural analysis moral integrity Questions to Reflect On - What criteria determine which passages to accept? - How can one honor tradition while pursuing truth? A Different Perspective Some may view selective reading as disrespectful to tradition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Love Of Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-of-truth/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“He knew a great deal of the Bible already, and he knew the Bible believed in all sorts of weird stuff. According to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-knew-a-great-deal-of-the-bible-already-and-he-knew-the-bible/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“What if mankind has become so neurotic in their loss of fellowship to God that they have become “walking dead people”? What if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-davis/what-if-mankind-has-become-so-neurotic-in-their-loss-of-fellowship-to/) [Patrick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-davis/) > [“If the Bible is to be believed, and I do, those afflictions that we all seem to suffer, including death, are but for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-davis/if-the-bible-is-to-be-believed-and-i-do-those-afflictions-that-we-all/) [Patrick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-davis/) > [Almighty Father! let thy lowly child, Strong in his love of truth, be wisely bold,-- A patriot bard, by sycophants reviled. Let him live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ebenezer-elliott/almighty-father-let-thy-lowly-child-strong-in-his-love-of-truth-be/) [Ebenezer Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ebenezer-elliott/) > [The sin which is unpardonable is knowingly and wilfully to reject truth, to fear knowledge lest that knowledge pander not to thy prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/the-sin-which-is-unpardonable-is-knowingly-and-wilfully-to-reject/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [“What is it that leads such a person to reject the truth of God in the first place? According to Paul, it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/what-is-it-that-leads-such-a-person-to-reject-the-truth-of-god-in-the/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“When a man reject the truth and accepts a lie he is no longer looked at by the enemy as a threat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-shorter/when-a-man-reject-the-truth-and-accepts-a-lie-he-is-no-longer-looked/) Jeremy Shorter > [“Shall we accept the testimony of a man, yet reject the Truth of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/shall-we-accept-the-testimony-of-a-man-yet-reject-the-truth-of-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Because Truth and life are one, when you reject the Truth, you cut yourself off from the source of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/because-truth-and-life-are-one-when-you-reject-the-truth-you-cut/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [“Though Calvin (1559/1960) frequently warned of the noetic effects of sin regarding spiritual matters (see the Institutes 2.1.8; 2.2.18-25), he also extolled the abilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-l-johnson/though-calvin-1559-1960-frequently-warned-of-the-noetic-effects-of/) Eric L. Johnson > [“I know your race and mine are never on the best of terms." There was a cold smile in his voice if not on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-watts/i-know-your-race-and-mine-are-never-on-the-best-of-terms-there-was-a/) [Peter Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-watts/) > [In mysticism that love of truth which we saw as the beginning of all philosophy leaves the merely intellectual sphere, and takes on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/in-mysticism-that-love-of-truth-which-we-saw-as-the-beginning-of-all/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [I think my love of truth and honesty forces me to notice that the liberal intelligentsia of Western countries is betraying itself where Islam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-think-my-love-of-truth-and-honesty-forces-me-to-notice-that-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The inability to lie is far from the love of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-inability-to-lie-is-far-from-the-love-of-truth/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) ## More by William Lloyd Garrison > [“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/i-am-aware-that-many-object-to-the-severity-of-my-language-but-is/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [“Fortunate, most fortunate occurrence!—fortunate for the millions of his manacled brethren, yet panting for deliverance from their awful thraldom!—fortunate for the cause of negro…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/fortunate-most-fortunate-occurrence-fortunate-for-the-millions-of-his/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [A man's country is the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/a-man-s-country-is-the-world/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [I will be as harsh as truth, and uncompromising as justice... I am in earnest, I will not equivocate, I will not excuse, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/i-will-be-as-harsh-as-truth-and-uncompromising-as-justice-i-am-in/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [In proportion as we perceive and embrace the truth do we become just, heroic, magnanimous, divine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/in-proportion-as-we-perceive-and-embrace-the-truth-do-we-become-just/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [Slavery will not be overthrown without excitement, a most tremendous excitement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/slavery-will-not-be-overthrown-without-excitement-a-most-tremendous/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [The success of any great moral enterprise does not depend upon numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/the-success-of-any-great-moral-enterprise-does-not-depend-upon-numbers/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [Gradualism in theory is perpetuity in practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/gradualism-in-theory-is-perpetuity-in-practice/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [Every Fourth of July, our Declaration of Independence is produced, with a sublime indignation, to set forth the tyranny of the mother country and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/every-fourth-of-july-our-declaration-of-independence-is-produced-with/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [I do not believe that God has created us under this dire necessity to toil, like beasts, to sustain life. I believe it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/i-do-not-believe-that-god-has-created-us-under-this-dire-necessity-to/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [You can not possibly have a broader basis for government than that which includes all the people, with all their rights in their hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/you-can-not-possibly-have-a-broader-basis-for-government-than-that/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [Our country is the world-our countrymen are all mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/our-country-is-the-world-our-countrymen-are-all-mankind/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [My crime is that I will not go with the multitude to do evil. My singularity is that when I say that freedom is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/my-crime-is-that-i-will-not-go-with-the-multitude-to-do-evil-my/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [And now let me give the sentiment which has been, and ever will be, the governing passion of my soul: 'Liberty for each, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/and-now-let-me-give-the-sentiment-which-has-been-and-ever-will-be-the/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [With reasonable men, I will reason; with humane men I will plead; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/with-reasonable-men-i-will-reason-with-humane-men-i-will-plead-but-to/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) [Explore all 58 William Lloyd Garrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) ## More Absurd quotes > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [When a person’s tongue is extensively wrong, it is absurd, no less than unscriptural, to say that their heart is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/when-a-person-s-tongue-is-extensively-wrong-it-is-absurd-no-less-than/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is human nature to think wisely and to act in an absurd fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-human-nature-to-think-wisely-and-to-act-in-an-absurd-fashion/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought to myself: if it’s true that every person has a star in the sky, mine must be distant, dim, and absurd. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadegh-hedayat/i-thought-to-myself-if-it-s-true-that-every-person-has-a-star-in-the/) [Sadegh Hedayat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadegh-hedayat/) > [If, indeed, a firearm were more dangerous to its possessors than to potential aggressors, would it not make sense for the government to arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/if-indeed-a-firearm-were-more-dangerous-to-its-possessors-than-to/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I have never heard enough classical music to be able to enjoy it; & the simple truth is, I detest it. Not mildly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-heard-enough-classical-music-to-be-able-to-enjoy-it-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [To deprecate human reason by saying that none of us is or can be omniscient is absurd, for it takes an impossible standard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/to-deprecate-human-reason-by-saying-that-none-of-us-is-or-can-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [The absurd duty, too often inculcated, of obeying a parent only on account of his being a parent, shackles the mind, and prepares it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/the-absurd-duty-too-often-inculcated-of-obeying-a-parent-only-on/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-workman-of-today-works-every-day-in-his-life-at-the-same-tasks/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I was once part of a Christmas cabaret. I sang 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.' I tap-danced. I had a ten-gallon hat. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/i-was-once-part-of-a-christmas-cabaret-i-sang-i-saw-mommy-kissing/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [Solitude produces originality, bold and astonishing beauty, poetry. But solitude also produces perverseness, the disproportianate, the absurd and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/solitude-produces-originality-bold-and-astonishing-beauty-poetry-but/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) [Browse all 1,644 Absurd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To say that everything in the bible is to be believed , simply because it is found in that volume, is equally absurd and pernicious... To discard a portion of scripture is not necessarily to reject the truth, but may be the highest evidence that one can give of his love of truth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Lloyd Garrison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-to-be-believed-simply-because/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absurd" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-to-be-believed-simply-because/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/william-lloyd-garrison-11679_absurd_to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-t_384456.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/william-lloyd-garrison-11679_absurd_to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-t_384456.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/william-lloyd-garrison-11679_absurd_to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-t_384456.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To say that everything in the bible is to be believed , simply because it is found in that volume, is…” — William Lloyd Garrison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Lloyd Garrison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To say that everything in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-to-be-believed-simply-because/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/to-say-that-everything-in-the-bible-is-to-be-believed-simply-because/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```